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Mark Sawa

The site of a 12.8 million tourist accommodation development near Exhibition Park

School children and sporting groups visiting Canberra will soon find it much easier to organise their stay in the capital when a $12.8 million tourist accommodation development near Exhibition Park is completed in early 2015.

Stage one of the new tourist accommodation along the Federal Highway will provide short stay dormitory-style accommodation with kitchen and dining hall facilities for up to 480 visiting school children.

There will also be 46 serviced caravan and camping sites.

EPIC general manager Liz Clarke said the ACT government had identified a shortage of short term caravan and camping accommodation for visiting schools and sports groups in Canberra.

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“The first stage will commence as soon as the development application has been approved, with completion anticipated by February 2015,’’ Ms Clarke said.

“Planning for the subsequent stages will commence on completion of the first stage.’’

The tourist facility will be developed and operated by FreeSpirit Resort and Holiday Park Management.

The company intends to undertake the project in three stages.

Stage two will consist of short stay cabins, recreational facilities and additional serviced caravan and camping sites.

Stage three will increase the number of short stay cabins again and provide motel accommodation.

FreeSpirit spokesman David Johnston said they were keen to move the development into stages two and three immediately after stage one was completed.

FreeSpirit has existing operations in the Northern Territory, South Australia and Queensland. He said they were very excited about creating the tourist park in Canberra.

The company had ambitious plans to begin the development in 2013 after successfully winning the tender for the site in 2012, but environmental assessments took longer than expected.

Mr Johnston said the ACT government did all they could to accelerate the process but it just took time.

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